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A review by donnek
Gone to Darkness by Barbara Nickless
fast-paced
5.0
“Remember that fierceness you had as a kid? That bring-it-on feeling that was yours before you knew the world would punch you back? You still got it. Along with a bigger fist”
Syndney Parnell
Personal Journal
The gangs all back: the dynamic duo of Syd and Clyde along with Det Mike Cohen. Syd and Clyde are still working on dealing with their PTSD from the war and while Syd still has her ghosts hanging around, their appearances seem to be waning. Syd doesn’t seem to be talking to them much anymore, except for The Sir, a former commanding officer that was killed in action. Romantically, Syd and Cohen seem to be going strong. Cohen transferred to Denver PD Sex Crimes unit when Syd left the Railway PD and moved to Denver PD Major Crimes unit.
“Inside me is a monster. It allows me to see the monster in others. The drunk at the end of the bar with the scraped knuckles. O hot-eyed man sliding into an alley. Combat veterans with one too many tours. Random people passing on the street. When our eyes meet, I see the startle of recognition on their faces. It is never a happy acknowledgement.”
Sydney Parnell
Personal Journal
Syd is partnered up with Det Len Bandoni, a codgy, grouchy, old fart, and at this point in his career, he doesn’t want to be working with a rookie woman cop and her dog. Bandoni believes Syd is just a diversity hire because of the department’s recent sexual harassment scandals and settlements. Bandoni finds it his duty and pleasure to constantly remind Syd that her former media superstar status (the Denver press really likes Syd and Clyde) as a “murder cop” for the railways doesn’t mean diddly squat working for Denver PD as a “real” cop.
“It took me a long time to make this distinction: The past is not my enemy. It’s my fear of the past that brings me down.”
Sydney Parnell
Personal Journal
Most of the story revolves around the investigation of a dead body (a man in a dress) found on a train, who had religious quotes carved into the skin on his back. A few of the chapters also flip back and forth between Syd and the killer, who is stalking Syd. Syd also meets one of Cohen’s relatives for the first time. Dr Evan Wilding is Cohen’s cousin from Chicago whose specialty is forensic semiotics, the study of signs and symbols, and their interpretation. Evan becomes a consultant on the case as well as instrumental in the investigation.
“The thing about there being hell to pay is that you can always hope the devil doesn’t come to collect.”
Sydney Parnell
Personal Journal
I LOVED THIS SERIES!!! Every installment has been a 5star read for me! That is a sign of a great series! I don’t have any other series I’m reading that has garnered that for every installment. I loved the addition of Bandoni too! The interaction between Bandoni and Syd was so often absolutely hilarious! Think curmudgeon, fatherly, Boomer type and the smart@$$, exasperated, Millenium type. Nickless is an amazing writer and storyteller. One of the things I really liked about this series is how Nickless has developed Sydney’s character throughout the series. I especially like how she has accomplished some of the development through Syd’s class assignments and journal writing. I have found so many of these quotes really haunting; they are just a glimpse of the hell of war and the severity of a soldier’s PTSD, especially Syd’s and sometimes Clyde’s.
It’s been four years since this installment came out and I wondered if Nickless was just abandoning it. While her profile states that the series has been optioned to tv, I haven’t seen anything on tv come out on it. I contacted Nickless and asked if there would be future installments. Her response:
“Dear Donne,
Thanks so much for taking the time to reach out! I’m glad you enjoyed the Sydney Parnell books. Unfortunately, my publisher wanted to move on, and asked me to do a spinoff series based on a character introduced in Gone to Darkness. I miss Sydney and Clyde.
I do plan to write a short story about Sydney and Clyde, which I’ll give away to people who sign up for my newsletter—just as soon as I can get it written. :)
Thank you again!
My best,
Barbara”
I will miss Syd and Clyde. I think I will check out her new series about Evan Wilding. He seemed like an interesting character.
Syndney Parnell
Personal Journal
The gangs all back: the dynamic duo of Syd and Clyde along with Det Mike Cohen. Syd and Clyde are still working on dealing with their PTSD from the war and while Syd still has her ghosts hanging around, their appearances seem to be waning. Syd doesn’t seem to be talking to them much anymore, except for The Sir, a former commanding officer that was killed in action. Romantically, Syd and Cohen seem to be going strong. Cohen transferred to Denver PD Sex Crimes unit when Syd left the Railway PD and moved to Denver PD Major Crimes unit.
“Inside me is a monster. It allows me to see the monster in others. The drunk at the end of the bar with the scraped knuckles. O hot-eyed man sliding into an alley. Combat veterans with one too many tours. Random people passing on the street. When our eyes meet, I see the startle of recognition on their faces. It is never a happy acknowledgement.”
Sydney Parnell
Personal Journal
Syd is partnered up with Det Len Bandoni, a codgy, grouchy, old fart, and at this point in his career, he doesn’t want to be working with a rookie woman cop and her dog. Bandoni believes Syd is just a diversity hire because of the department’s recent sexual harassment scandals and settlements. Bandoni finds it his duty and pleasure to constantly remind Syd that her former media superstar status (the Denver press really likes Syd and Clyde) as a “murder cop” for the railways doesn’t mean diddly squat working for Denver PD as a “real” cop.
“It took me a long time to make this distinction: The past is not my enemy. It’s my fear of the past that brings me down.”
Sydney Parnell
Personal Journal
Most of the story revolves around the investigation of a dead body (a man in a dress) found on a train, who had religious quotes carved into the skin on his back. A few of the chapters also flip back and forth between Syd and the killer, who is stalking Syd. Syd also meets one of Cohen’s relatives for the first time. Dr Evan Wilding is Cohen’s cousin from Chicago whose specialty is forensic semiotics, the study of signs and symbols, and their interpretation. Evan becomes a consultant on the case as well as instrumental in the investigation.
“The thing about there being hell to pay is that you can always hope the devil doesn’t come to collect.”
Sydney Parnell
Personal Journal
I LOVED THIS SERIES!!! Every installment has been a 5star read for me! That is a sign of a great series! I don’t have any other series I’m reading that has garnered that for every installment. I loved the addition of Bandoni too! The interaction between Bandoni and Syd was so often absolutely hilarious! Think curmudgeon, fatherly, Boomer type and the smart@$$, exasperated, Millenium type. Nickless is an amazing writer and storyteller. One of the things I really liked about this series is how Nickless has developed Sydney’s character throughout the series. I especially like how she has accomplished some of the development through Syd’s class assignments and journal writing. I have found so many of these quotes really haunting; they are just a glimpse of the hell of war and the severity of a soldier’s PTSD, especially Syd’s and sometimes Clyde’s.
It’s been four years since this installment came out and I wondered if Nickless was just abandoning it. While her profile states that the series has been optioned to tv, I haven’t seen anything on tv come out on it. I contacted Nickless and asked if there would be future installments. Her response:
“Dear Donne,
Thanks so much for taking the time to reach out! I’m glad you enjoyed the Sydney Parnell books. Unfortunately, my publisher wanted to move on, and asked me to do a spinoff series based on a character introduced in Gone to Darkness. I miss Sydney and Clyde.
I do plan to write a short story about Sydney and Clyde, which I’ll give away to people who sign up for my newsletter—just as soon as I can get it written. :)
Thank you again!
My best,
Barbara”
I will miss Syd and Clyde. I think I will check out her new series about Evan Wilding. He seemed like an interesting character.